City of Kaliningrad
0973-2PM-RU-2014
Architects: Devillers & associés, Off The Grid, 2:pm architectures
Status: Competition (2014)
Clasification: 2 prize
Visualizer: Studio
Scale: Extralarge
Types: Intervention, Masterplan, Public space

Kaliningrad has the rare characteristic of possessing two main centers — a commercial and administrative one, concentrating retail activities, and the historical center, currently a disconnected void with broken links to its past and physical surroundings, dominated by a single mono­lithic monument; a symbol of a break of history and domi­nation of one above plurality.

Our intention is to re-create a functioning and soothed center with the intensity of the mediaval town which would celebrate it’s rich history — all its history — whilst embracing the contemporary characteristics and con­straints of a contemporary city, with grounded develop­ment program and economics, appropriate socio-cultural programming and an integrated mobility strategy adapted to our lifestyles.

More Intensity for better green. Creating intensity by re-interpreting the past to intensify the present and create meaningful, active and vibrant well defined public spaces.

Our aim is not to create a competing center to the ex­isting retail hub, but to offer a new platform of cultural, educational and leisure activities, reconnected to its wa­terfront.

The major challenge of the Heart of the City proj­ect lies in its implementation. Our proposal has been crafted to achieve our ambitious aim, whilst minimising overall cost and initial investments, and maximising the development potential of the site to finance the required infrastructure works. The financial leverage of the 2018 World Cup will be use for the key initial critical steps as described in our phasing strategy.

This constant concern has driven a certain numbers of key decisions, such as upgrading the existing elevated bridge of Leninsky Prospect instead of its demolition, or the tight urban fabric which allows more plots to be de­veloped. Our plot’s layout are flexible in size and different usage can be accommodated within them as the project develops.

Post date: 26/09/2014 | Views: 5.741